Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist | Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust
| Posting date: | 25 November 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | Not specified |
| Additional salary information: | £53,751 - £60,651 pa inc |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 25 December 2025 |
| Location: | Woolwich, SE18 3RG |
| Company: | Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 7625967/277-7625967-FOR |
Summary
Exciting Opportunity in Forensic Neurodevelopmental Services
We are pleased to offer an exciting full-time position that spans two closely integrated services: the Oxleas Forensic Intellectual and Neurodevelopmental Disability (FIND) Community Team and the inpatient forensic service at the Bracton Centre. This role is equally divided between the two services, with 18.75 hours per week dedicated to each.
About the FIND Community Team
The Oxleas FIND Team plays a pivotal role in supporting individuals transitioning from inpatient forensic settings back into the community.
The team delivers specialist assessment, treatment, and consultation to support the safe and clinically appropriate reintegration of individuals with complex needs.. The primary aim is to ensure a well-coordinated, person-centred pathway from secure care to community living.
About the Bracton Centre Inpatient Forensic Service
Located in Kent, theBracton Centreoffers a comprehensive range of specialist forensic mental health services for adults aged 18–65. The service provides high-quality, multidisciplinary care to individuals with significant mental health needs within a secure environment.
This dual-service role offers a rich opportunity to contribute to both community-based and inpatient forensic mental health services, while also being part of a forward-thinking partnership driving innovation in mental health care across South London.
Part Time Hours can be considered.
In this role, the postholder will provide specialist assessment, intervention, and consultation for individuals with intellectual and/or neurodevelopmental disabilities who are involved in the criminal justice system or present with forensic risk. These individuals may present with complex communication needs, co-occurring mental health difficulties, and challenging behaviours that require tailored and collaborative therapeutic input.
The community arm of the role, within the Oxleas FIND team, involves working proactively with multi-disciplinary colleagues to support service users in the least restrictive environments possible, with a focus on risk reduction, communication accessibility, and support for meaningful engagement in community life. The inpatient component at Bracton Centre involves supporting individuals through their rehabilitation and recovery pathways, contributing to risk assessments, care planning, and discharge preparations.
Oxleas offers a wide range of NHS healthcare services to people in community and secure environment settings. Our services include community health care such as district nursing and speech and language therapy, care for people with learning disabilities and mental health care such as psychiatry, nursing and therapies. Our multidisciplinary teams look after people of all ages and we work in close partnership with other parts of the NHS, local councils and the voluntary sector and through our new provider collaboratives. Our 4,300 members of staff work in many different settings including hospitals, clinics, prisons, secure hospitals, children’s centres, schools and people’s homes.
We have over 125 sites in a variety of locations in the South of England. In London we operate within the Boroughs of Bexley, Bromley Greenwich and into Kent. We manage hospital sites including Queen Mary’s Hospital, Sidcup and Memorial Hospital, Woolwich, as well as the Bracton Centre, our medium secure unit for people with mental health needs. We are the largest NHS provider of prison health services providing healthcare to prisons within Devon, Dorset, Bristol, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, Kent and South London. We are proud of the care we provide and our people.
Our purpose is to improve lives by providing the best possible care to our patients and their families. This is strengthened by our new values:
• We’re Kind
• We’re Fair
• We Listen
• We Care
• To provide highly specialist Speech and Language Therapy assessment and intervention to service users who have a variety of complex communication and/or swallowing needs. This will include adults with learning disabilities, autism, and/or mental health conditions. This includes the assessment, diagnosis, and management of dysphagia, ensuring timely and appropriate intervention, liaison with medical teams, and training for staff and carers where needed.
• To independently manage own caseload, working closely with care coordinators and social supervisors where applicable, while accessing regular clinical and managerial supervision.
• To provide leadership and to line manage and/or clinically supervise junior Speech and Language Therapy colleagues, students, and other relevant staff.
• To act as a core member of a multi-disciplinary team and represent the Speech and Language Therapy service at team, directorate, and working group meetings as appropriate.
• To provide specialist advice and support to families, other speech and language therapists, and multidisciplinary professionals both within and outside the Trust, ensuring the active involvement of carers and family members in care planning and delivery wherever appropriate.
• To provide compassionate, non-judgemental care that is rooted in empathy, kindness, respect, and dignity
Freedom to Act
• To act in accordance with the professional standards set out by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapy and the Health Professionals Council.
• To act in accordance with local policies and procedures at all times.
• To pursue the principles of ‘Valuing People’ at all times and to follow the Trust’s values.
• To maintain knowledge of current best practice and clinical effectiveness within the Specialist Speech and Language Therapy Learning Disability/ ASD field.
• To plan, organise and manage own workload with guidance.
• To maintain the online RCSLT CPD log.
Leadership
• To induct, train, review work performance and clinically supervise/appraise SaLT colleagues, and Specialist Support Workers as identified.
• To contribute to the development of Speech and Language Therapy Service policies and procedures, including participation in projects and quality improvement initiatives.
• To contribute to the service development through relevant meetings and working groups.
• To plan and deliver training courses where appropriate in relation to speech and language discipline.
• Communicate regularly through team meetings, Business meetings, clinical forums and individually with team members providing an opportunity for two-way feedback.
• Ensure that service users and carers’ opinions and experiences are being responded to at a team level.
• Clinical record keeping is of a consistent high standard and meets trust policy and practice guidance.
Clinical
• Deliver evidence-based practice regarding specialist speech and language therapy assessment and intervention.
• To carry out and interpret specialist assessments of the eating and drinking (dysphagia) within inpatient secure wards.
• Monitor specialised packages of care including direct therapy, advice and training
• To contribute to specialist multi-disciplinary assessment and care package, including consultation, giving advice and joint care planning e.g. Positive Behaviour support.
• To contribute to medical diagnosis including differential diagnosis
• To contribute to and carry out Capacity to Consent Assessments in accordance with the Mental Capacity Act
• To work as a member of the Learning Disability/ASD Team by completing ‘Initial Assessments’, covering duty as and when required
• To participate in CPA/CTR/ professional and network meetings.
• To monitor clinical effectiveness and clinical outcome measures
• To follow Health and Safety guidelines regarding unpleasant working conditions, e.g. Hepatitis, lone visits, exposure to bodily fluids.
Research
• To plan, co-ordinate and carry out regular and ongoing complex audits of Speech and Language Therapy Service work in order to contribute to knowledge of clinical effectiveness and outcomes
• To develop and promote evidence-based practice
Communication
• To demonstrate well-developed specialist communication and presentation skills at all times
• To provide and receive complex, sensitive or contentious information where there may be significant barriers to understanding or acceptance possibly within emotive, distressing and/or antagonistic atmospheres
• To adapt spoken and written information to suit the communication needs of the listener/audience
• To demonstrate well-developed motivation, negotiation, empathy and reassurance
• To liaise with other members of the Multi-Disciplinary Teams, this may include; family, carers, support staff, AHPs, nurses, and commissioners.
• To develop and deliver specialist presentations and training to a range of audiences including Service Users, carers, staff and Professional colleagues, in both small and large groups
• To maintain clinical records in accordance with local standards
• To provide letters and reports as necessary in accordance with local standards
• To provide accurate and contemporaneous statistical information in accordance with local standards
• To use basic word processing skills and specialist software packages to develop communication aids and accessible information
To be noted:
• This is not an exhaustive list of duties and responsibilities, and the postholder may be required to undertake other duties which fall within the grade of the job, in discussion with the manager.
• This job description will be reviewed in the light of changing service requirements and any such changes will be discussed with the postholder.
• The postholder is expected to comply with all relevant Trust policies, procedures and guidelines, including those relating to Equal Opportunities, Health and Safety and Confidentiality of Information.
This advert closes on Monday 22 Dec 2025
We are pleased to offer an exciting full-time position that spans two closely integrated services: the Oxleas Forensic Intellectual and Neurodevelopmental Disability (FIND) Community Team and the inpatient forensic service at the Bracton Centre. This role is equally divided between the two services, with 18.75 hours per week dedicated to each.
About the FIND Community Team
The Oxleas FIND Team plays a pivotal role in supporting individuals transitioning from inpatient forensic settings back into the community.
The team delivers specialist assessment, treatment, and consultation to support the safe and clinically appropriate reintegration of individuals with complex needs.. The primary aim is to ensure a well-coordinated, person-centred pathway from secure care to community living.
About the Bracton Centre Inpatient Forensic Service
Located in Kent, theBracton Centreoffers a comprehensive range of specialist forensic mental health services for adults aged 18–65. The service provides high-quality, multidisciplinary care to individuals with significant mental health needs within a secure environment.
This dual-service role offers a rich opportunity to contribute to both community-based and inpatient forensic mental health services, while also being part of a forward-thinking partnership driving innovation in mental health care across South London.
Part Time Hours can be considered.
In this role, the postholder will provide specialist assessment, intervention, and consultation for individuals with intellectual and/or neurodevelopmental disabilities who are involved in the criminal justice system or present with forensic risk. These individuals may present with complex communication needs, co-occurring mental health difficulties, and challenging behaviours that require tailored and collaborative therapeutic input.
The community arm of the role, within the Oxleas FIND team, involves working proactively with multi-disciplinary colleagues to support service users in the least restrictive environments possible, with a focus on risk reduction, communication accessibility, and support for meaningful engagement in community life. The inpatient component at Bracton Centre involves supporting individuals through their rehabilitation and recovery pathways, contributing to risk assessments, care planning, and discharge preparations.
Oxleas offers a wide range of NHS healthcare services to people in community and secure environment settings. Our services include community health care such as district nursing and speech and language therapy, care for people with learning disabilities and mental health care such as psychiatry, nursing and therapies. Our multidisciplinary teams look after people of all ages and we work in close partnership with other parts of the NHS, local councils and the voluntary sector and through our new provider collaboratives. Our 4,300 members of staff work in many different settings including hospitals, clinics, prisons, secure hospitals, children’s centres, schools and people’s homes.
We have over 125 sites in a variety of locations in the South of England. In London we operate within the Boroughs of Bexley, Bromley Greenwich and into Kent. We manage hospital sites including Queen Mary’s Hospital, Sidcup and Memorial Hospital, Woolwich, as well as the Bracton Centre, our medium secure unit for people with mental health needs. We are the largest NHS provider of prison health services providing healthcare to prisons within Devon, Dorset, Bristol, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, Kent and South London. We are proud of the care we provide and our people.
Our purpose is to improve lives by providing the best possible care to our patients and their families. This is strengthened by our new values:
• We’re Kind
• We’re Fair
• We Listen
• We Care
• To provide highly specialist Speech and Language Therapy assessment and intervention to service users who have a variety of complex communication and/or swallowing needs. This will include adults with learning disabilities, autism, and/or mental health conditions. This includes the assessment, diagnosis, and management of dysphagia, ensuring timely and appropriate intervention, liaison with medical teams, and training for staff and carers where needed.
• To independently manage own caseload, working closely with care coordinators and social supervisors where applicable, while accessing regular clinical and managerial supervision.
• To provide leadership and to line manage and/or clinically supervise junior Speech and Language Therapy colleagues, students, and other relevant staff.
• To act as a core member of a multi-disciplinary team and represent the Speech and Language Therapy service at team, directorate, and working group meetings as appropriate.
• To provide specialist advice and support to families, other speech and language therapists, and multidisciplinary professionals both within and outside the Trust, ensuring the active involvement of carers and family members in care planning and delivery wherever appropriate.
• To provide compassionate, non-judgemental care that is rooted in empathy, kindness, respect, and dignity
Freedom to Act
• To act in accordance with the professional standards set out by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapy and the Health Professionals Council.
• To act in accordance with local policies and procedures at all times.
• To pursue the principles of ‘Valuing People’ at all times and to follow the Trust’s values.
• To maintain knowledge of current best practice and clinical effectiveness within the Specialist Speech and Language Therapy Learning Disability/ ASD field.
• To plan, organise and manage own workload with guidance.
• To maintain the online RCSLT CPD log.
Leadership
• To induct, train, review work performance and clinically supervise/appraise SaLT colleagues, and Specialist Support Workers as identified.
• To contribute to the development of Speech and Language Therapy Service policies and procedures, including participation in projects and quality improvement initiatives.
• To contribute to the service development through relevant meetings and working groups.
• To plan and deliver training courses where appropriate in relation to speech and language discipline.
• Communicate regularly through team meetings, Business meetings, clinical forums and individually with team members providing an opportunity for two-way feedback.
• Ensure that service users and carers’ opinions and experiences are being responded to at a team level.
• Clinical record keeping is of a consistent high standard and meets trust policy and practice guidance.
Clinical
• Deliver evidence-based practice regarding specialist speech and language therapy assessment and intervention.
• To carry out and interpret specialist assessments of the eating and drinking (dysphagia) within inpatient secure wards.
• Monitor specialised packages of care including direct therapy, advice and training
• To contribute to specialist multi-disciplinary assessment and care package, including consultation, giving advice and joint care planning e.g. Positive Behaviour support.
• To contribute to medical diagnosis including differential diagnosis
• To contribute to and carry out Capacity to Consent Assessments in accordance with the Mental Capacity Act
• To work as a member of the Learning Disability/ASD Team by completing ‘Initial Assessments’, covering duty as and when required
• To participate in CPA/CTR/ professional and network meetings.
• To monitor clinical effectiveness and clinical outcome measures
• To follow Health and Safety guidelines regarding unpleasant working conditions, e.g. Hepatitis, lone visits, exposure to bodily fluids.
Research
• To plan, co-ordinate and carry out regular and ongoing complex audits of Speech and Language Therapy Service work in order to contribute to knowledge of clinical effectiveness and outcomes
• To develop and promote evidence-based practice
Communication
• To demonstrate well-developed specialist communication and presentation skills at all times
• To provide and receive complex, sensitive or contentious information where there may be significant barriers to understanding or acceptance possibly within emotive, distressing and/or antagonistic atmospheres
• To adapt spoken and written information to suit the communication needs of the listener/audience
• To demonstrate well-developed motivation, negotiation, empathy and reassurance
• To liaise with other members of the Multi-Disciplinary Teams, this may include; family, carers, support staff, AHPs, nurses, and commissioners.
• To develop and deliver specialist presentations and training to a range of audiences including Service Users, carers, staff and Professional colleagues, in both small and large groups
• To maintain clinical records in accordance with local standards
• To provide letters and reports as necessary in accordance with local standards
• To provide accurate and contemporaneous statistical information in accordance with local standards
• To use basic word processing skills and specialist software packages to develop communication aids and accessible information
To be noted:
• This is not an exhaustive list of duties and responsibilities, and the postholder may be required to undertake other duties which fall within the grade of the job, in discussion with the manager.
• This job description will be reviewed in the light of changing service requirements and any such changes will be discussed with the postholder.
• The postholder is expected to comply with all relevant Trust policies, procedures and guidelines, including those relating to Equal Opportunities, Health and Safety and Confidentiality of Information.
This advert closes on Monday 22 Dec 2025
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Disability Confident
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